Joe Prendergast committal hearing for alleged rapes delayed to 2025

After multiple delays in progressing the case against a Qld businessman and winery owner accused of multiple counts of rapes there’s been yet another change.

A committal hearing for South Burnett businessman and winery owner Joe Prendergast, who is charged with multiple counts of rape, has been pushed back several months.

A committal hearing for a South Burnett businessman and vineyard owner facing allegations of rape and sexual assault has been pushed back into 2025 in the latest delay to the case.

The originally planned hearing, schedule at the Murgon Magistrates Court on Tuesday, was instead adjourned to the Kingaroy Magistrates Court on Monday, March 24, 2025.

Mr Prendergast was charged with 11 counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, two counts of indecent treatment of a child under 16 and one attempted indecent assault of a child under 16.

He is the managing director of the Dusty Hill Vineyard, a boutique accommodation and winery at Moffatdale, and runs a hotel and bakery at Goomeri.

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A committal hearing for South Burnett businessman and winery owner Joe Prendergast, who is charged with multiple counts of rape, has been pushed back several months.

The first complainant, a woman in her 30s, was allegedly sexually assaulted by Mr Prendergast between September 2017 and January 2020.

The second complainant was allegedly sexually assaulted and inappropriately touched between December 25, 2022, and February 26, 2023 while she was under 16.

No pleas have been entered to the charges.

Tuesday’s scheduled hearing had already been pushed back from an originally proposed September 10 date at Murgon, one of several delays for the case since the charges were laid.